The Loran Smith Cancer Care Center at Athens Regional Medical Center is sponsoring the conference, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Physician's Imaging Center Auditorium on King Avenue. The theme of this year's event will be ''Winning the Race,'' focusing on cancer survivorship and ways to deal with the nutrition and fatigue problems that develop with this disease and its treatment.

Eckart has faced the issues of cancer treatment not once but twice as a breast cancer and colon cancer survivor. One of the ways this administrative assistant to a bank vice-president dealt with surviving her cancer diagnoses was to follow her dream of becoming a NASCAR professional driver, racing pick-up trucks at Lanier Speedway in the Winston Racing Series.

Since she has begun racing, she has finished in the top 10 every year based on point accumulation, racing against an all-male field. Eckart is announced as a breast cancer survivor at each race, and a pink ribbon adorns her truck. She was also recently voted ''Most Popular Driver'' for 1999.

The conference also will feature Mark Vrana of Athens, an oncologist and cancer survivor. Jenn Burnell, a dietitian at Athens Regional, and Ella Emerson, an oncology nurse with Athens Radiation Oncology, will discuss nutrition issues. Terri Armen, a nurse educator who worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center before moving to Atlanta in 1997, will address fatigue issues.

Pre-registration is required. The cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple. For more information or to register call the Loran Smith Cancer Care Center at (706) 357-4900.